I can feel the water rising higher. I can hear my father shouting for my mother to wake up.
The water was suddenly at my chest. He told me to take a deep breath and swim, then my father broke the window. The water came rushing in. He pushed me out the shattered window into the dark water.
I touch the scar on my arm. The long gash from the broken glass.
“Mina!”
I can feel arms pulling me against them.
“I…I can’t breathe,” I gasp out. My chest feels like I’m choking. Like I’m drowning again, just like that night.
“Mina, breathe for me, baby. Shhh. I’ve got you. I’m here now.” Declan is holding me in his lap. His arms are wrapped around me as he rocks us back and forth.
“Declan…I’m so sorry. He left...He…”
“What did he do to you?” he growls.
“What?”
“What did he do? I watched him walk out of here, and when I came to check on you, you were having a panic attack on the floor. Did he hurt you? I’m going to track him down and break every one of his fucking fingers…”
“I’m fine, Dec. He didn’t hurt me.”
“Then why are you on the floor?” He tilts my face to look at him as he cradles me on his lap still.
“He said something that made me remember something from my childhood.” I grab onto my arm. The scar still burns and tingles from the memory.
“The accident?”
“Yeah.”
I haven’t told him much. He doesn’t know muchabout my past. I don’t think he ever knew my family. My father died at twenty-one when Declan was just a kid. There’s no way he would have known him.
“Mina…Why wasn’t he restrained?” Declan asks. The reality of what I just did comes crashing back.
I betrayed him.
“He wouldn’t let me,” I lie. I can feel his fingers digging into my lower back.
“This’s disappointing.” His tone has changed. He’s no longer worried about my well-being.
“Declan, I’m sorry. I tried. I…” His fingers grab me roughly by the jaw. My lips purse together, and my teeth dig into my inner cheek. The taste of blood coats my tongue.
“Get out,” he growls.
I try to stand, but he holds onto my face firmly.
“Not you.”
I glance behind him to see Tony and Mac leaving the room. Tony’s eyes lock with mine before he turns away. Fear is in his eyes. That fear is now slithering around my chest. The sound of the door closing is almost deafening in the silent room. My jaw is still in his grasp. When I finally do dare to look him in the eyes, I instantly regret it.
“That’s twice this week you’ve disappointed me, Mina. What the fuck am I going to do with you?”
“Dec, please. I tried.” I’m barely able to form words with how deeply he’s pushing his fingertips into my cheeks. More blood fills my mouth as he releases me, shoving me off his lap to the floor.
“Do you know how fucking pathetic you sound right now?Oh, Declan. Please…I didn’t mean to. I tried my best, Declan. I swear,”he mocks me as he sits up on his knees. He leans back, resting his ass on his heels.
“I’m sorry…”
